Car-coupling



(No Model.)

J. H. HAYES.

GAR GOUPLING. Patented July 27, 1886.

N. PEIERS. Prma-Lmmgnphm. Wasninglm n. c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES H. HAYES, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 346,101, dated .Tuly 27,1886.

Application filed April 23, 1886.

s which the following is a description.

In United States Pat-ent No. 319,250, issued to me on the 2d day of June,1885, I described a draw-head of peculiar construction, whichcontained a spring-actuated trippingblock, which was provided withlateral arms which had movement in lateral openings or guideslots in thewalls of the draW-head,such movement being limited by contact of thearms with the outer extremity ofthe guide-slots. I also described asoperating in connection with the trippingblock a standard upon which wassupported apivoted lever,and a coupling-pin protected and guided by aguard or sheath and connected by a lifting-chain to the pivoted lever.The description further embraced an opposite draw-head, the cavity ofwhich was tapered from its mouth inwardly from top and bottom, and wasprovided with a spring, upon which the coupling-link was normallysupported at about the mid-height of the cavity, the object being toinsure the projection of the link into the cavity of the oppositedraw-head, notwithstanding possible occasional variations in theelevation of the same above the plane of the railway-track.

This invention,while preserving the leading features of my former patentabove referred to, consists in certain improvements upon thatconstruction, relating particularly to the d rawhead and the appliancesfor uncoupling used in connection therewith, and embracing certain novelparts and combinations of parts, whereby the operation of uncoupling iseffected with certainty and celerity,whether the operator be standingupon the car or uponthe ground outside the car and at a safe distanceoutside the track.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective elevation showing aportion ofa box-car having my improved draw-head and coupling-pin operatingmechanism applied thereto. Fig. 2 represents in perspective elevation aportion of a ilat car having my improved leverrod and its connectionsapplied thereto. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal central horizontal sectionSerial No.199,925. (No model.)

on the line a" xofFigs. l and 2, showing the interior construction ofthe draw-head. Fig. 4 representsa longitudinal central section of theslid able coupling-pin plate, the coupling-pin itself being representedin elevation. Fig. 5 represents upon an enlarged scale a modied form ofthe coupling-pin block, the block being composed of two horizontalsections,the upper section being open,as in Fig. 1, and the lowersection'being closed at each end. Fig. 6 represents a view similar tothat shown in Fig. 4, but with the two sections halved together. Fig. 7represents the couplingpin block as of the form shown in Figs. 5 and 6,but constructed in a single piece.

Vithin each of the draw-heads A is the tripping-block A', provided witharms a, which have movement in the lateral slots a, are connected bysprings al to the outer end of the draw-head, and are concealed andprotected by covering-plates c, all substantially as in my formerconstruction. |The vertical open ings a* and a5 in the upper and lowerportions of the draw-head, and the guide or sheath a thereon are alsoessentially the sameas in the patent referred to; but in connection withthese elements I employ novel mechanism which may be described asfollows: Suitably located and secured upon the roof of the car is astandard, B, to which a plate or hook, b', preferably of crescent form,as shown, is connected by a pivot, b. A liftingcliain, C, is suspendedfrom the top of the standard, and a spiral spring, b2, attached to oneend of the hook b', is connected to the standard B, at a suitabledistance from the end thereof, while a link, c, is adapted to engagewith the opposite end, b3, of the plate or hook b. The chain C serves tolift the coupling-pin D from its engagement with the coupling-link, and,as will be apparent, when the chain is upon the Lend b of the hook b acoupling cannot Lbe effected. l

In order that the operation of uncoupling may be readily effected fromthe ground alongside the car, a rod, E, provided with au arm or lever,E', and with handles e c, is extended transversely along the end of thecar and loosely secured thereto by loops c2, or by other suitableequivalent means. The lever E is formed with or is surinounted by apin-block, F, which is provided with a central slot, F',

IOS

Within the lateral walls of which are longitudinal grooves f f, toreceive loosely by its edges a' rectangular block or plate, f', which isprovided with a central opening, f2, to receive the looped head or eye dof the couplingpin D, and with a transverse passage, f3, to receive apivot-pin, d2, which extends through the coupling-pin, and serves as asupport for the same within the plate f. As will be seen, the handles ee', upon the extremities of the lever-rod E, project from the rod in adirection at a suitable acute angle with the plane of the lever E', sothat when the handles are moved to a vertical position against the bodyof the car the lever will lift the pin-block F and with it the pin D,which will thus be disengaged from its coupling-link C. Pivoted stops GG', secured to the end of thc car in a position to coincide with thehandles e c', serve to maintain the handles in their vertical positionand thereby prevent premature coupling.

It will be apparent that under a construetion in which the coupling-pincould have movement in a perpendicular line only, it would, whenoperated by a lever which has its fulcrum in the same horizontal plane,have a tendency to stick through contact of its extremities with thewalls of the guide or sheath,

and it will beunderstood that the object ofv the provision of thegrooves ff is to permit the plate f', carrying the pin D, to move outward or inward, according to the movement upward or downward in the arcof a circle of the lever E.

In Fig. I I have represented the pin-block F as cast in a singlebifurcated piece, and I prefer this construction; but it is obvious thatit may,y if desired, be cast in two parts, as in` Figs. 5 and G, or in asingle recessed piccc, as in Fig. 7.

IVhen the lever-rod E is applied to a flat car, as in Fig. 2, the chainC or the greater portion of it will be superfluous and may be dispensedwith.

In the construction of the couplingpin block F, it will be immaterialwhether the bolt or pivot-pin d2 be loose within the plate f', or Withinthe pin D, or within both the plate and the pin; but as insuring aminimum of friction, as well as the utmost facility of movement, thelatter construction may in most cases be adopted.

The tension of the springs Within the drawhead is such that thetrippingablock is pressed against the link and the coupling-pinwith aforce sufficient to hold the link in a horizontal position.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination, in arailway-car, of a draw-head, a spring-actuated tripping-block, a leverwhich is pivoted upon the car, and a coupling-pin which is pivoted in aplate which is slidable in ways upon the lever, and which is providedwith a lifting-chain, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination, in a railway-car, of a draw-head which has verticalopenings, a lever which is pivoted to the car and which carries agrooved block, and a coupling-pin which is pivoted in a plate which isslidable in the block upon movement of the lever, and which is operableeither from the roof or the floor of the car or from the ground outsidethe car.

3. In a railway-car, the combination of a draw-head which has atripping-block, A, arms a a, and springs ai @with a coupling-pin whichis pivoted in a slidable plate,and which is provided with a liftigleverand with a lifting-chain.

4L. The combination, in a railway-car, ofa standard secured upon theroof of the car and provided with a pivoted plate or hook, alifting-chain suspended from the upper extremity of the standard, acoupling-pin connected to the lower extremity of the lifting-chain, anda holding-spring connected at one lend to the standard and at itsopposite end to an outer extremity of the pivoted plate.

5. The combination, in a railway-car, of a draw-head which has Verticalopenings, a pivoted lever which carries a slotted pin-block, and a plateslidable in grooves in the pinblock and carrying the coupling-pin.

6. The combination, with the draw-head provided with spring-actuatedtripping-block, of the pivoted lever provided with slotted pinblock andslidable pin-carrying plate.

JAMES H. HAYES.

Vitnesses:

F. J. SGHROEDER, M. IVACHENHEIMER.

